Dear Governor of Tennessee,

You have outdone yourself on this one, and I thought Ohio passing a law forbidding make

-up to be worn by drag queens was an idiotic law, however, you have surpassed them when it comes to legislature that is completely idiotic, and a waste of taxpayer money. Can you please explain to me the purpose of your declaration that June, a month which has predominately been Pride Month, is to now be referred to as Nuclear Family Month? What exactly does that mean? I get that you are trying to erase anything that has to do with the LGBTQ community, but Nuclear Family month? That is so, what are the words I’m looking for here, oh yes, outdated, Neanderthalic, and repugnant, not to mention, stupid and more importantly, homophobic. Yes, I’m aware that you probably have no idea what any of those words mean, so my recommendation; look them up in a dictionary. Speaking of definitions, let’s get to your definition of what a Nuclear Family is. I think you might be basing your definition of this concept on TV shows from the 1950s and 1960 such as Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver and The Waltons. Are those shows your inspiration for your “Nuclear Family?” Those TV shows portrayed an idea of what a household should look like: a father, mother, and two children. A household where the mother stayed home and made cookies, kept house, and raised her children why the husband went off and worked. While in principle that’s a nice “idealistic” view of what family is, however, you do realize in reality that’s not the case. Due to the economy that politicians and self-absorbed, greedy businessmen created, it’s inconceivable for a single income household to exist currently. If this type of family existed they would most defiantly be living below the poverty level, or they would live in a gated community where the wife never sees her husband because he is always at the office working in order to support his wife, their kids, their private education, and to keep the mistress he probably has in the lifestyle they all have grown accustomed to having. Does that sound like the ideal family to you? If not, then what does this “nuclear family” you speak of mean to you? I ask because the definition of a family has continued to evolve over the years and your passing of this ridiculous resolution clearly demonstrates that you haven not. A family is no longer, nor has it ever been, what was portrayed in television, which seems to be where you obtained your definition from. By definition, a “nuclear family” is one that includes two parents, and their children. This explanation does not say mother and father, it simply says two parents. Based on that definition, any household that has two parents of the same sex do in need constitute a “nuclear” family. So, I guess we should be thanking you for finally acknowledging our community members in your proclamation. I am still a bit lost on why you felt the need to make the declaration in the first place. Well, I know why you did it, it was your attempt to marginalize the LGBTQ community, but why? What have we done to you? We live our lives just as you do. We have jobs, we attempt to raise our families, we have friends, we go to the grocery store same as you, and seek actives that make us happy, just as members of the straight community do, so why are you trying to marginalize us? We are not the evil, horrible, satanic worshiping individuals you think, or have created us out to be. In fact, we are the ones who live in fear because of the likes of you and the ridiculous laws and declarations you make and pass. Your actions embolden others to act against those in the LGBTQ community. It enables individuals like yourself to physically harm, and in some instances, end the lives of members of our community. While you may not realize it, as you only think of yourself, we live in a world that is predominately a straight one. TV shows have all straight families, movies are predominately straight, books are geared for straight people, the whole world is built for straight people. We live in a world that is constantly telling us we are different, separate from the rest of the world. We are simply requesting, no, we are demanding that we be acknowledge and respected, hence the reason for “Pride” events such as pride marches and Pride Month. These events are our way of showing the world that we exist, that we are part of the bigger community, and that we want and demand the respect we are entitled to. While you think you can take that away from us with your silly “Nuclear Family” month, you are in fact reminding us that our fight is not over, and it only strengths our resolve to continue to fight for what is rightfully ours; respect!

Thank you,

Strongly Prideful